Vardan Bostanjyan declines to answer whether Gagik Tsarukyan is an oligarch or not (video)

Economist Vardan Bostanjyan, a former lawmaker from the Prosperous Armenian Party (BHK), has not been included on the party’s proportional list since 2012 as he has been actively engaged in research and teaching activities.

He has rarely communicated with his partymates, hence he cannot say definitely why the party [BHK] decided to vote for Republican Galust Sahakyan as the next parliament speaker or why the BHK plays ‘an ambiguous game’ with the authorities and opposition. Vardan Bostanjyan refrained from answering the questions saying he simply did not want to answer them.

Speaking about the new cabinet, Mr Bostanjyan said the pyramid consists of a single element – the top – which governs the entire system, with others being deprived of an opportunity to participate in the decision-making process. Therefore, the BHK member cannot say whether the new cabinet members will be able to achieve anything or not.

However, Mr Bostanjyan praised the new prime minister, saying ‘Hovik Abrahamyan is a kind of person who constantly seeks for something and strives to achieve good things.’ He added that the new premier will do many kind and good deeds and promote small and medium-sized businesses, if of course, he is given freedom in his actions.

Speaking about the reasons for merging the State Revenue Committee (SRC) and the Ministry of Finance under the supervision of former SRC chief Gagik Khachatryan, the BHK representative said ‘Khachatryan is both strong and clever.’

“Don’t you agree that this is a government of oligarchs?”

In reply to a journalist’s question Bostanjyan said all negative things occurring in the country should not be ascribed to oligarchs.

In reply to the next question whether BHK leader Gagik Tsarukyan is an oligarch, Vardan Bostanjyan said, “You had better address the question to him. I do not understand what you mean by saying ‘an oligarch’…”